Of a Demon in my Veiw
by 3lise
Summary: On Hold.
1. Alone

**Alone**

From childhoods hour I have not been

As other were - I have not seen

As others saw - I could not bring

My passions from a common spring -

From the same source I have not taken

My - sorrow I could not awaken

My heart to joy at the same tone -

And all I lov'd - I lov'd alone -

Then - in my childhood - in the dawn

Of a most stormy life - was drawn

From every depth of good and ill

The mystery which binds me still -

From the torrent, or the fountain -

From the red cliff of the mountain -

from the sun that round me roll'd

In it's autumn tint of gold -

From the lighting of the sky

As it passed me flying by

From the thunder, and the storm -

And the cloud that took the form

( When the rest of Heaven was blue )

Of a demon in my view -

**-Edgar Allen Poe**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - i don't own Naruto, sadly. if i did well lets just say things would be a lot more riske'**

Author's Note - Okay i gots a few things to say before you read. First of all this is a yaoi fanfic and it will most likely have sex scenes so if gay pairings bother you i'm sorry but to bad. Read at your own risk. Anyway the reveiw for this sucks i know but i couldn't think of anything better. If i do i'll change it. ...is trying to think of anything else she needs to say... well i guess i hope you enjoy the fic and please leave reviews cause i want as much advice, encouragment and especially constructive critisim as i can get.

* * *

Hateful stares he could see them even now when he was alone in his room. He had always endured the stares, the whispers, the neglect. For as long as he could remember hateful eyes had scorned him.

Beep beep beep

Gaara started, shaking himself out his reverie he shut the alarm off. The first day at a new school and yet another sleepless night spent staring at my ceiling he thought. Gaara dragged himself out of bed. Walking over to his closet he yanked out a pair of close fitting black pants with lots of chains hanging off them. After pulling them on he walked over to his dresser, digging through it and pulling out a black fishnet shirt. He quickly found a dark red t-shirt donning that over top the fishnet. Lastly he strapped on a spiked dog collar, a thick spiked belt and another read and black checked one. Gaara stepped into a pair of black vans and picked up his bag as he walked out of the room.

He glanced at the bedroom doors of his two siblings and his father. His sib's were still asleep and his dad wasn't even home, exactly like he wanted. Gaara had always gotten up at least an hour before the rest of his family. He liked it in the early morning when everyone else was still asleep. It was quiet, probably the only time he ever got any kind of peace.

Gaara quietly padded down the steps and into the kitchen. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and munched on it slowly. He gazed off into space absorbing the peaceful silence of the house. He was just putting his bowl in the sink when Temari came into the kitchen.

She was dressed in a black mini skirt and a long purple shirt that had a big collar so it showed her shoulders. She had on big black boots and fishnet tights. There was a big black belt with purple fans on it hanging off her hips. Every single one of the multitude of holes in her ears had some kind of stud or earring in it. On her neck was a choker with a purple fan dangling from it. Her dark blond hair was done up in its usual four spiked buns.

"Why are you up so early?" asked Gaara "Your classes don't start till 10."

Temari was a freshman in collage and had just started taking classes about a week ago.

"I know. I just thought that I should make breakfast cause Kankuro can't do anything that involves food and dad isn't here today. You know how he is he'd just get me up to do it anyway," she replied.

Gaara didn't say anything. She had a point. Kankuro was completely helpless when it came to making food and whenever their father was gone he just bugged the crap out of her till she made him something.

Gaara sat back down at the breakfast bar and started out at the backyard through the glass sliding door in the kitchen. He listened to the sounds of his sister making scrambled eggs and thought

* * *

Temari watched her brother from out of the corner of her eye as she whipped up eggs. He was just looking out into the backyard. Any passer-by would think that he was daydreaming but Gaara wasn't the kind of person who daydreamed. What was he thinking, she could never tell. Not a single person in their whole family ever really understood him. Ever since they were kids Temari had never seen her brother smile or make a single friend. He was always so alone and he never showed any emotion his face always had that same clam almost bored expression. He even kept it up during the times their father beat him._  
Stop, _Temari told herself, don't think about that. Just don't think about it

* * *

Temari was watching him. He caught her at it sometimes, caught her just looking at him with a thoughtful, puzzled or sometimes even a worried expression. When she had first started doing it had bothered him but now he simply did his best to ignore it. Gaara didn't look at her but kept his eyes on the yard and was about to resume his train of thought when Kankuro came down the stairs.

Kankuro was wearing his usual baggy jeans and his favorite black T. It had a circle design on the front. The circle was cut in half, one half was yellow and the other was a red color. He had on his black beanie that he neeever took off. The corners stoke up to form cat ear looking things. Sometimes Gaara seriously wondered if he slept in that hat. He was also wearing his black fingerless gloves. Kankuro was carrying his skateboard. It had a picture of some sort of puppet thing on it. Kankuro's skateboard was like his hat you never saw him without it.

Kankuro look at the food on the breakfast bar then at Temari.

"Good you made breakfast."

Of course I made breakfast bitch. I don't want to listen to you winning," said Temari in a completely neutral matter of fact tone.

Gaara resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Temari had been calling Kankuro bitch ever since middle school. It didn't matter how casually she said it, it never failed to get him mad.

"Temari I thought I told you to stop calling me that," said Kankuro through clenched teeth.

Yup never failed

"Kankuro you're my little brother I can call you whatever I want. You'd think you'd be used to it by now," Temari stated as she set two plates laden with toast and eggs on the breakfast bar.

Kankuro sat down on a stool glaring at Temari. "You know I'm only one year younger than you."

"Yes but that's still enough for me to be able to call you my _**little**_ brother."

Kankuro's mouth worked angrily but no sound came out. He clamped his mouth shut and stabbed at his eggs, silently fuming. Temari just gave him a smug mocking smile and bit into her toast. She had won, she usually did.

The room became quiet. Gaara watched his siblings for a couple minutes. They had always acted like a family should, fighting, teasing, laughing. He had never been a part of it. He had watched them but was never really a part of any of it.

It didn't take long for Temari and Kankuro to finish eating. Kankuro got up to put his dishes in the sink and Temari just piled all hers right on top of his. He gave her a sizzling glare. She responded with an I dare you to smile. They had a silent battle for about 5 seconds before Kankuro gave in and put both their dishes in the sink.

"I'll drive you guys to school," announced Temari.

This made Gaara sit up a little straight. Since when did Temari offer to do anything?

"What!" exclaimed Kankuro "You are not driving me to school. I do not need to be driven to school by my sister. I'd rather walk."

"The schools to far to walk dumb-ass," replied Temari.

"Gaara and I can both drive. You don't need to take us."

"To bad I'm driving," said Tamara.

"Wait a sec," said Kankuro as he eyed Temari, "You just want to see that boyfriend of yours, don't you."

Temari just answered with a simple "Duh."

They had moved at the beginning of the summer and Temari had already gotten a new boyfriend. It wasn't that she was a slut or anything like that it was just that she most guys couldn't put up with her. She had a habit of wearing the pants in the relationship and not many guys were all that happy with having a girl in charge. Course it didn't help that she usually got bored with any one guy pretty fast. Though Gaara had never really met the guy from what he heard about this latest guy he was holding his own pretty well. Temari seemed to be really fond of him, more than her usual boyfriends. Well at least that explained why Temari was being so nice.

Kankuro just huffed, grabbing his skateboard on his way back upstairs. He came back down a minute later his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Fine lets go," he said heading for the garage door.

Gaara grabbed his bag lying at his feet and fallowed Temari and Kankuro to the garage. Gaara glanced around the 4 car garage. The silver car that he and Kankuro basically shared was at the other end of the large garage. There was an empty space next to it where their father's car was usually parked.

Temari's little black Corvette convertible beeped as she hit the unlock button on her keys. Gaara climbed into the small back seat behind Kankuro who was still busy pouting cause he was being driven to school by his sister. Gaara slouched in his seat, lying his head on the edge of the car he watched the scenery go past as Temari pulled out of the garage and started down the street.

This was going to be a long year he thought.

* * *

Lee bounded out of bed before his alarm clock even went off. It was the first day of his junior year. He couldn't be any more excited.

He sped around his room with his usual amount of youthful energy pulling on a pair of jeans and one of his many green spandex mesh shirts. Stepping into a pair of simple white running shoes with green laces he grabbed his bag and raced down the hall.

Lee skidded to a halt in the kitchen and began rummaging through all the drawers trying to find the frying pan.

"Ah ha," Lee said as he finally found the frying pan.

Setting the pan on the stove he turned it on high. Now for the eggs. He opened up the fridge searching for the eggs. Once he found them he took them out of the fridge and cracked open four of them over the hot pan. Listening to the satisfactory sound of the sizzling eggs he searched around for the spatula.

Gai walked into the room and glanced at his adoptive son who was pulling a spatula out of one of the drawers with a big grin on his face.

"You're up early," said Gai

"I know," replied Lee moving back over to the pan full of eggs.

"You're really excited huh,"

Lee just nodded that big cheesy grin still covering his face.

"Lee you do know that your hair is standing on end right," Gai said as he watched his kid attempt to make fried eggs without breaking the yokes.

Lee's face fell "Really I completely forgot to fix it."

"It's okay go fix your hair. I'll take care of breakfast. Brush your teeth too," Gai had to raise his voice as Lee was already racing down the hall to the bathroom. He chuckled, sometimes that kid was in such a hurry

Lee quickly ran a brush through his teeth getting rid of the morning breath he knew he had. He doused his head with water to help flatten his hair back to its usual bowl cut. He came back into the kitchen just as Gai was setting two plates full of eggs and two tall glasses of milk on the table. Lee began shoveling eggs into his mouth.

"Lee you don't have to eat so fast you have plenty of time," said Gai who was beginning to worry that his son might choke on his food.

"I want to get there really early," Lee said through a mouthful of eggs.

"The school doesn't even open till 7:30 so slow down."

Lee didn't answer he just kept scarffing his eggs though at a slightly slower pace. When he finished his food Lee downed his whole glass of milk in one go.

"Can we jog to the school today?" asked Lee as soon as he was done.

"I don't see why not. The school isn't to far. We should get there just as the doors open." answered Gai.

"Yes!" said Lee punching a fist into the air.

"Why don't you go get my running shoes while I finish eating then we can leave."

"Okay," Lee said taking off down the hall again.

Gai smiled to himself as he finished off his eggs and milk

Lee came back into the room with a pair of shoes in his hand just as Gai was putting his dishes in the sink. Taking his shoes from Lee he pulled them on tying the laces.

"Well lets get going," he said as walked over to the door.

He saw a green blur as Lee ran past him out the door.

"Race you there," Lee yelled over his shoulder as he sprinted down the street.

"I accept your challenge," Gai yelled back fallowing his adopted son.

* * *

Temari pulled up to the front of the school just as a guy with a ponytail wearing a fishnet shirt started to walk over.

"Hey Temari," said the guy as he leaned on the edge of the drivers door, "Nice car"

"Hi Shikamaru," Temari said leaning in for a quick kiss. "My father got it for me for my 19th birthday since I'm in collage now."

This must be the new boyfriend Gaara thought as he jumped out of the back seat. He seemed a little younger then Temari's regular guys. She tended to date guys who were her age or older. This guy had to be no older than he was.

Kankuro got out or the car still grumbling. Dropping his skateboard on the ground and hoping on it he started off across the parking lot towards the schools entrance. Grinding on the edges of the curb as he went.

Gaara began walking fallowing his brother. The sounds of Temari and her boy talking started to fade as he walked away from the car. Once inside the cool building he headed to the main office to get his schedule. Gaara stood there quietly as the school secretary handed him his schedule and a map of the school.

She was about medium height with short black hair. He could see the keen intelligence in her black eyes. She was probably the kind of woman who couldn't stand troublemakers and was strict with everyone. The plaque on her desk said that her name was Shizune. Though the woman seemed like a kind of uptight person she was nice enough to point out his classrooms on the map. He made a note of each one trying not to forget.

When he had what he needed he left the woman to her other work and set out to find his first hour classroom. No sense in scrambling around to get to it once the bell rang. Not to mention the fact that he wanted to get away from all the people that were starting to arrive.

_303, 304, 305 _here it was his first hour classroom the fourth English room. Gaara peeked through the glass window in the door. _Good no one was inside._ He slipped through the door taking the seat in the back farthest from the door. Dumping his bag at his feet he took out his ipod nano and a book. He turned up his music and began to read.

* * *

"See ya later dad," Lee said as he dashed towards the entrance of the school.

Gai smiled and waved as he walked off in the direction of another part of the school.

Lee bounded up to the main office. "Good morning Shizune," he said giving her a one of his ridiculous nice guy smiles.

"Hello Lee." She couldn't help but smile back. His good mood was infectious. "Here's your schedule," she said as she handed it to him.

"Thanks Shizune and have a good day." He said as he walked away.

Shizune smiled to herself. The kid had flawless manners they never ceased to amaze her. She hummed a little returning to her work.

Lee gazed down at his schedule. _English first hour _and looking farther downs the list_ P.E. yes_.

"Hey Lee," someone shouted.

Lee looked up to see a kid with very messy spiky blond hair running towards him. Naruto Uzumaki was wearing his usual bright orange baggy pants and a simple blue tee underneath an equally bright orange sleeveless zip-up hoody. Fallowing behind him at a more leisurely pace was none other than the midnight haired Sasuke Uchiha dressed in a pair of black slacks and a very dark blue t-shirt that was close fitting enough to show off his lean torso. You would never catch Sasuke Uchiha in a pair of jeans. He always seemed to dress in a sorta casual almost business way. Defiantly not thrown together. It was the exact opposite of his blond counterpart, who tended to just wear whatever was clean (if that) not caring if it ever matched.

The two were completely different Lee had always wondered how they had ended up such good friends. They were always hanging out together you hardly saw one without the other anymore. It had been that way since their sophomore year. Not only were they probably the schools closest friends they were it's biggest rivals. They were constantly butting heads, maybe that's what made them such close friends.

"Lee you got to check out what I got over the summer," Naruto said as soon as he reached him.

Sasuke stood a little behind Naruto acknowledging Lee with a curt nod of his head. The Uchiha wasn't much for warm greetings. He rolled his eyes upward hearing what Naruto said. " Loser you don't need to show everyone you've ever met. It's not like it's a big deal"

"Shut up Sasuke," Naruto retaliated, then turning back to Lee, " You got to see this it's so cool."

Lee saw Sasuke roll his ink black eyes again as Naruto yanked up shirt to show off his rock hard abs. There on his stomach was a huge tattoo. It was a big swirl starting at his belly button and it had these sorta squiggly rays coming off of it.

"Isn't it awesome," said Naruto grinning like a bandit. "I got it over the summer."

Lee bent over to inspect the swirling design more closely. "Wasn't your dad mad," he said looking up at the grinning face and its shock of blond hair.

"Who, Iruka, of course. He was pissed actually but since I can't exactly go and get it removed he just had to deal. I got grounded for a month though and he made do double chores," said the blond pulling discussed face at the thought of chores.

"Oh shut up loser chores never killed you and it's your own fault you went and got the tattoo," said Sasuke fed up with hearing his friend brag about the tat then complain about the consequences.

Naruto resisting the childish urge to sick out his tongue at Sasuke glared at him instead.

"Your so boring sometimes," he said to his raven hair friend.

Sasuke just ignored him.

Lee straightened up laughing inwardly at his friends. They could never go two seconds without fighting in some way.

"Come on dumb-ass," Sasuke said as he started to walk towards the office, "We need to get our schedules."

"Okay fine," Naruto said rather sulkingly, he didn't like being ignored. "Well I guess I'll see ya in class Lee," said the blond waving and taking off after the Uchiha.

"See ya Naruto," Lee said back. He turned do the hall towards his first hour English class. He always liked being there before the bell was even close to ringing.

He passed a familiar guy with long brown hair fastened in ponytail at the very end and almost shocking snow white eyes that seemed to see everything going on. There was a pretty girl tugging on his arm obviously trying to get him to go somewhere. She had long brown hair held up in two buns high at the back of her head and kind brown eyes.

"Hi Neji. Hi TenTen," he said as he walked pass the couple.

Neji nodded, he was like Sausuke with it came to greetings. TenTen smiled brightly at him. "Oh hi Lee. How was your summer?" she asked

"Great, how about you?"

"I finally got Neji to go out with me," she said giving a playful tug on her companions arm. "We're going steady now." A faint blush crossed her cheeks as she said it.

Neji was standing next to her looking bored as if the information made no difference to him but Lee knew for a fact that Neji had had a crush on TenTen for the longest time and was probably silently celebrating that they were finally a couple.

Lee smiled hugely as he walked away from the new couple. He was glad they were together. They had been kinda been skirting around each other since freshman year but neither one had ever worked up the courage to ask the other. They would be a good couple, cute too.

It didn't take long before he found himself standing in front of the door to the fourth English room. He pushed the door open and walked inside.

* * *

Gaara looked up at the sound of the opening door. In door way stood probably one of the most ridiculous looking kids he had ever seen in his whole life.

He had a tall lean build. His tight green shirt showed off the muscles that rippled all over his body every time he moved. His skin was tanned dark as if he had spent to many hours outside over the summer. Working out most likely from the look of him. But all that wasn't what made his appearance so comical. The guy had black hair that was cut in a bowl cut. Seriously what kind of teenager had a bowl cut. And he had the thickest bushiest eyebrows Gaara had ever seen. The kid had to be some sort of freak. There was no way a normal teen could have eyebrows like that.

Gaara couldn't help but stare even though he was pretty sure his eyes were popping out of his head.

"Oh hi," said the bushy browed kid. He walked up to Gaara holding out his hand. "My name is Rock Lee but you can call me Lee."

Gaara didn't shake Lee's hand. He wasn't the kind of person who was too keen on physical contact in fact he practically hated it.

Lee dropped his hand after a moment where it became obvious that Gaara wasn't going to take it.

Gaara went back to his book hoping that if he just ignored that weird kid he would just go away. It was a strategy he had developed as a child. If you ignored people they generally went away.

"Sooo what's your name?" the black haired guy asked.

Gaara inwardly signed obviously Lee was one of those friendly people that never left you alone. Damn why couldn't he have been a normal person who would have just left after his icy put down.

"My name is Gaara," he said hoping that the guy would be satisfied and go away.

"Your one of the new kids aren't you. I heard that a family moved here a couple months ago and some new kids would be coming to school."

"Yeah," Gaara replied opening his book again. He didn't really want to get into any conversations with Rock Lee or anyone else for that matter. This was the nice thing about his old school everyone had learned long ago to leave him alone. He liked it that way but apparently he was now going to have to put up with people until they figured out that he didn't want to make any friends or be helped out in any way. Oh joy.

"Do you want help finding any of your classes?" Lee asked trying to break the rather awkward silence.

"No," Gaara said flatly not looking up from his book.

"Oh okay," said Lee sounding a little put down.

The awkward silence returned as Lee tried to think of something else to say but before he could think of anything the bell rang signaling class.

Gaara, thanking God, watched the strange kid with the bowl cut walk off to another desk as students started filing into the room.

* * *

Lee stepped into the empty English room or at least he thought it was empty until he look over to the far corner of the classroom. There sitting in the desk farthest from the door was a very emo looking kid.

He had a sorta short skinny build and red hair, not just your regular red hair but literally red like bright red. It stood out vividly against the walls of the room. He dressed in mainly black and red. Everything about him practically screamed emo, from the clothes, to the black ipod nano lying on the desk, to the very thick eyeliner around his eyes. He had a weird design on his forehead. Was it a tattoo? No it couldn't be it didn't look right. It was some sort of symbol drawn in the same red color as his hair

"Oh hi," said Lee a little surprise to see someone in the room especially someone so negative looking.

He walked up to the guy holding out his hand. "My name is Rock Lee but you can just call me Lee," he said trying to break though the ice. Maybe he just looked emo, maybe he was just a nice kid that liked dressing dark. Lee had met plenty of pretty cool emo kids before. He tried to be open most of the time and not judge people.

That face with the red hair had followed him as he had walked over. The kids eyes flicked up as he said his name and Lee found himself gazing into a pair of cold beautiful black rimmed pale green eyes. The green gaze meet his own black was cold guarded but underneath the cold shell he could see a sadness, pain and hurt. What kinda of teen had eyes so empty of happiness so filled with sadness. What had happened to this guy.

Lee couldn't break the trace that seemed to prevent him for looking away from that cold sight. He felt as if he was being engulfed in the sea green gaze. He could do nothing but stare into the eyes of the guy in front of him.

Suddenly those eyes darted back down to the book in front of them and Lee found that he could look away. He let out his breath not realizing that he had held it. He looked down at his hand that he was still holding out. He let it fall back to his side. The guy obviously wasn't going to shake it any time soon.

"Sooo what's your name?" asked Lee wanting to break the tension and wanting to know more about this red haired kid.

"My name is Gaara," said the kid as if that was the end of their little conversation.

"Your one of the new kids aren't you. I heard that a family moved here a couple months ago and some new kids would be coming to school." said Lee remembering the rumors that had been going around.

"Yeah," said Gaara confirming Lee's theory but not elaborating on it.

Silence distended in the room.

"Do you want help finding any of your classes?"

Gaara answered with a flat out "No."

Well so much for trying to be friendly thought Lee. Gaara was apparently not going to let him.

"Oh okay," he said seeing defeat.

The silence returned as Lee tried to think of a tactful way to get Gaara talking again. He wanted to no more about this mysterious kid but before he could come up with anything the bell rang. He made his way to a desk in the front his mind still on the flame haired guy sitting in the back.

* * *

Author's Note - Yey first chapter down and an unknown number left to go. Gaara is abused it's sad i know but it had to happen. Okay the whole NejiTenTen thing was not planned at all i was orgianally not going to have them as a couple ever. For one cause i don't like that pairing. i don't hate it but i think its overused and it doesn't really interest me. And for another i didn''t want there to be to many pairings in one fic cause there will be some more pairings that i did plan but i'm not reveiling them. You'll have to read to find out. They ended up together purely because i needed to give them more character depth. I wanted more to be going on with their characters. I'm going to try and post a new chapter every month. I don't know how successful that will be but i'm going to try. Hope you liked the first chapter.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Ha i have posted Chapter 2. i really should name my chapters but i'm to lazy to think of titles. I'll do it eventually. Anyway yes i'm sorry i didn't post earlier in the month but i was really busy. i'm being honest for once to i really was busy. hey but i still kept to my mothly posting policy so thats something. Alright i'll stop talking now. Read and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and i'm not getting paid for this. Gawd i wish i was though. Maybe then I'd actually have money for once in my life.**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - **

Lee barely paid attention as the teacher droned on about locker assignments. All he could seem to think about was the guy with the intensely red hair. He was so cute, no scratch that he was adorable and hot. Even if he obviously had some serious problems he was so... Lee couldn't think of any good words to really describe Gaara. He had unique red hair and amazing green eyes. His skin was pale and smooth. He wasn't what you would call a heart stopper. No way, that was not a phrase one could use for Gaara but there was something alluring about him, something almost darkly sexy.

Lee smiled to himself. Wow did he have it bad. He had learned long ago that he was gay but he never remembered crushing on any guy this quickly or this badly. He wondered if Gaara had any idea what he was doing to his mind but then again it was probably better that he didn't. Lee gave himself a mental shake and forced himself to pay attention.

After a long rather uneventful hour spent basically thinking of nothing but Gaara or trying not to think of him the bell rang. Lee got up grabbing his bag as he walked out the door. He was very flustered he usually always paid close attention in class. It wasn't like him not to be able to focus but he was just so curious about that new guy. He couldn't seem to get him off his mind. Hopefully Gaara wasn't in his next class getting away from him would probably do wonders.

Lee did his best to push thoughts of red hair out of his head as he sought out his locker. Finding it he dumped his pretty much empty bag inside taking out a new notebook before heading off to his next class.

He walked into the science classroom glancing around to see not Gaara to his relief but Naruto sitting on top of one of the desks with a certain Uchiha standing next to him chatting away to Sikamaru. Shikamaru was leaning against the desk opposite Naruto looking as bored and tired as ever.

Shikamaru was known as the least motivated person in the whole school. He was lazy beyond belief and always viewed things as to troublesome for him. He also had an IQ of over 200.

"Hey Shikamaru I saw that girl you were with earlier," Naruto said in a sly voice. "I can't believe you scored a collage girl. I thought you said dating was too troublesome."

"It is," Shikamaru answered.

Lee began to walk over to the small group curious about the conversation.

"Then why are you going out with her and how in the world did you get a collage girl. What did you have to do to get hooked up with something like that? Oh hey Lee," said the blue eyed blond when he spotted Lee but he quickly turned back to Shikamaru as he began talking.

"I didn't do anything she came onto me," said Shikamaru matter-of-factly. "Besides she's way too troublesome."

"Yeah right like you aren't totally whipped. So what's her name?" Naruto asked.

"Temari."

"Is she from out of town?" The blond prodded.

"Her family moved here about two months ago. She has two younger brothers that are supposed to be starting school here," said Shikamaru deciding it was easier to just answer Naruto's questions then not and get pestered to death.

"Really," said Naruto looking very interested. "Are either of them in our grade?"

"The older one, Kankuro, is a senior and the younger one, Gaara, is in our class," replied the lazy genius.

Lee's ears perked up at the sound of Gaara's name. So he had an older brother and sister huh Lee could have swore that the emo red head was an only child. He had a hard time imaging Gaara with siblings.

"What are they like?" asked Naruto interrupting Lee's train of thought.

"How should I know? I've never really met them," said Shikamru.

"Wait you've been going out with this girl for how long and you haven't met her family."

"A month and no I haven't met her family. She never wants me to come over, doesn't like being around her family I guess," Shikamaru said not really caring. To him it was all just easier if he didn't have to be introduced to the clan.

The bell rang just as the pony-tailed genius finished his sentence

"Damn she had a sweet car," Naruto said more to himself then anyone else as he sat down in the desk he had been sitting on.

Shikamaru just made an hmming sound taking his own seat and resuming his favorite pass-time, gazing at clouds. He tilted his head a little to one side and stared lazily out of the classroom window.

Lee saw Sasuke grab a seat behind Naruto as he took his own. Sasuke hadn't said anything though the whole conversation and had looked as if he was to bored to care but Lee knew that he had absorbed every word. That was just how Sasuke was he was paying attention even when seemed like he wasn't.

* * *

Gaara watched the bushy bowed guy walk out of the classroom when the bell rang. Oh thank God he didn't come over and offer his help again. If there was one thing he hated it was overly helpful people, mainly because it usually turned out that they were no help at all.

He got out of his seat picking up his bag lying on the floor and walked out of the room. He set off down the hall attempting to find his locker. According to the map that secretary gave man it wasn't to far just down the next hall. He scanned the locker numbers counting them till he found his. Opening it up he dumped most of the contents of his bag inside but taking a notebook, his book and his ipod. No sense in getting it stolen he thought as he stuffed the ipod nano in one of his pockets.

Glancing at his schedule to see what his next class was he continued down the hall his eyes glued to the map. This school wasn't really any bigger or smaller than his old school but it was still hard to find were anything was.

He entered the class long after the bell had rung but being the new kid hopefully the teacher wouldn't be to mad. Gaara looked over at the teacher's desk expecting to see a disapproving face only to find that the teacher wasn't even there. He scanned the rest of the classroom looking for any signs of the teacher but saw none. There was no teacher in the room. The students were all sitting around in desks or on top of them, whichever was more comfortable, talking casually as of nothing was out of place. The entire atmosphere was relaxed. Okaaay this is a bit weird thought Gaara, what kind of teacher isn't even in their classroom when class has already started.

He took an empty seat in the back of the room .Well at least he wasn't going to get in trouble. Just then the teacher walked into the classroom.

He had silverish hair that suck up and slightly to the side. Woo he was actually wearing a mask and one of his eyes was covered up. The one visible eye was a clear blue color.

"Sorry guys I ran into a black cat on the way here and I had to take the long route all the way around the school," said the teacher sitting down at his desk.

"Yeah right Kakashi," said a pink haired girl in the front of the class.

"I'm serious Sakura," said Kakashi jokingly.

"Why can't you ever just be on time for once?" the pink haired girl grumbled.

"Okay class lets get started," the teacher began not really paying attention the girls grumbles he heard it almost every day.

Gaara just starred. This was his teacher. A guy named Kakashi with half his face covered up and who apparently had a record for always being late. He couldn't believe it and people said he was weird. They had obviously never been to this school.

* * *

Lee was standing in the lunch line, the last couple classes had completely flown by. He stood as patiently as he could but he was really hungry and staring to get antsy for his food. He looked around the lunch room to maybe help take his mind off food. Almost instantly his eyes were drawn to the messy red head of none other than Gaara.

Gaara was already seated at a table a tray of food in front of him. He was facing Lee but eyes seemed to be focused on something below the table instead of on his food like almost everyone else. There wasn't a single at the lunch table other person at except a small group of students at the other end sitting well away from Gaara.

I wonder what he's doing, Lee asked himself. He hasn't even touched his food.

Before he could really get to thinking to much it was his turn in line. Picking up his tray he began walking down the rows of tables looking for an empty spot. He glanced down at Gaara as he passed the guys table. In his hands slightly under the table was a book. Should have known, Lee thought. The red head is more interested in reading than in socializing. He had learned that this morning.

"Hey Lee. Over here we saved you a seat."

Lee looked up at the sound of his name to see TenTen waving at him. She was sitting next to Neji. Next to and across from them was a bunch of his other friends. He squeezed into a seat in between TenTen and a pink haired girl with green eyes.

"Hi Sakura. How was your summer," said Lee addressing the pink haired girl.

"Hey Lee," replied Sakura smiling at him her green eyes sparkling. "It was good but I was busy almost all the time. I was doing an internship like thing at the hospital."

Sakura had been set on becoming a doctor ever since anyone could remember. She was one of the smartest people in their whole grade and she was always doing things to help with her plans of becoming a doctor. She was also very pretty and very nice but she could be pretty harsh to.

Lee had had a crush on her when he was like 13, before he found out he was gay. He remembered thinking she was an angel but now they were nothing more than good friends.

* * *

Gaara could feel the eyes of the weird bushy browed kid on him as he walked past but Gaara didn't look up just kept his eyes on his book.

Why did Lee seem to have an interest in him. He had expected to get some attention from some of the braver people. People tended to just avoid him even people he had never meet. It was like he gave off this vibe that said stay away. There were some people that either didn't get that vibe or were just to stupid or brave to pay any attention to it. Once in awhile someone would try to talk to him but this Lee seemed a little more curious than the others...or maybe it was just his paranoid mind kicking into gear.

Gaara straightened up in his seat turning around to look in the direction that Lee had walked. He saw him sitting at on of the tables between two girls. One had brown hair pulled up into two buns in the back of her head, the other was a pink haired girl he recognized from one of his classes. Mr. Bowl Cut, as Gaara was beginning to think of Lee as, had his back facing he so he couldn't see his face. There were tons of other people at the table, including a spiky hair blond and black haired guy with pale skin, all chatting and eating. Just then Lee turned his head to talk to the pink haired girl. Gaara caught the big on Lee's face and immediately turned back around with sort of a huff. Lee looked like he was having a great time surrounded by what were obviously all his friends, chatting with the pretty pink haired girl. It bugged him. Why did that bother him so much? This wasn't like him.

He marked the page he was reading and started stabbing rather moodily at food. He shoved every thought of Lee and his friends out of his mind, instead forcing his mind to focus on the classes he'd been though and the ones he had yet to go though.

He generally didn't like school. He was a good student did his work got good grades didn't get into fights, mostly because he choose to avoid people as much as possible. Actually that was the main reason he didn't like school, people. They always just seemed to find some way to make him not like them.

By the time the bell rang Gaara hadn't really eaten anything on his tray. He had only succeeded in picking everything apart and moving it around. He got up and dumped the mutilated contents of his would be lunch into the bins. Stacking his tray along with everyone else's he walked out of the lunchroom. Although he hadn't eaten anything he didn't feel hungry. He didn't really eat much as it was, it was probably why he was so skinny, food just wasn't all that important to him.

Grabbing his note book out of his locker he headed to his next class. Gaara kept a close eye on his map not wanting to get lost again.

He entered the class just as the bell rang. Almost every single seat was taken forcing him to sit in a seat by the window closer to the front than he would have liked. As he took his seat he glanced over at the person next to him. It was the blond that he had seen at Lee's table. The spiky blond head turned towards him just as he was about to look away. _Oh no here we go again another person who wants to talk_.

"Hey your Gaara aren't you. Your one of the new kids," said the blond keeping his voice low so as not to catch the teacher's attention.

"Yeah," Gaara answered against his better judgment.

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki," the blond announced though still keeping quiet, "and don't forget it." The blond, Naruto, grinned at him.

Gaara couldn't help but notice that Naruto had very vivid blue eyes and there were faint scars on his cheeks that look distinctively like fox whiskers. He just nodded acknowledging what the guy had said.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something else but quickly shut it again as the teacher gave him a reproachful glare. He didn't say anything for the rest of the class. Apparently the blond didn't want to press his luck on the first day of school, which Gaara was thankful for he didn't really want to talk, period. He had a feeling that Naruto tended to get into a lot of trouble.

The silence, however, did not last as soon the bell rang Naruto jumped out of his seat slinging on arm over Gaara's shoulder and began, what Gaara feared was, an endless chatter.

"So were ya from?" asked Naruto.

"Ah" was about all Gaara could manage he was to busy being freaked out of his mind. This blond kid that he had never met before had just slung his arm around his shoulders as if they had been buddies since per-school. People never just casually touched him, EVER. He hated physical contact. He could have sworn his eye twitched.

"Not the talkative type are you," said Naruto "It's okay my friend Sasuke doesn't really talk a ton either. Hey aren't you in like my third and fourth hour classes too,"

Gaara just nodded still to shocked to reply. Now that he though about it he was in two other classes with the blued eyed blond. _Oh no_ he thought two other classes with an overly friendly, hyperactive, blond that seemed to want just conjure a friendship between them out of thin air. He was beginning to think that he would much rather deal with Lee.

"What's your next class?"

"Advanced Biology." Gaara managed to sound annoyed even though he was still very thrown off guard.

"I don't have that class next but I'll take you there anyway. As the new kid your going to need all the help you can get," said Naruto in his rather loud voice

"No it's fine I can get there myself," said Gaara his voice much stronger now as the shock wore off.

"It's okay I'll show you the way. It's not like it's a big deal if I'm possibly a little late for class." The blond didn't same to notice the bit of menace in Gaara's tone, or didn't care. So he basically got dragged to his next class by Naruto to his intense dislike.

"Well it was nice meeting you," said Naruto as he practically dumped Gaara in the doorway of his classroom "Maybe we could hang out sometime." He waved as he walked away

Gaara grumbled to himself as he took a seat in the back and waited for class to start.

* * *

Lee had to suppress a laugh as he saw none other than Naruto Uzumaki dragging a very disgruntled looking Gaara pass the classroom door. He was wondering when Naruto would hunt down the new kid. Naruto had a habit of picking up new friends everywhere, although, from the look he'd seen on Gaara's face he had probably made more of an enemy than a friend. Lee did have to feel a little sorry for the red head, Naruto tended to hit a person like a whirlwind. It usually took awhile to recover.

He turned his attention back to the front of the class as the bell rang only to inwardly groan as he remembered what class this was. Trig was not one of his strong points in fact math was his worst subject.

The class passed by rather quickly since Lee spent most of the time thinking about how badly he was going to do and how much help he was going to need. Maybe he could ask Sakura to tutor him, she was smart, or maybe Neji but he didn't think Neji would even consider helping him. It just didn't seem like something Neji would do.

When the bell rang Lee got up and mentally thanked every higher being he could think of that it was the first day and the teacher hadn't had the chance to actually start teaching. It was probably bad for any future trig classes if he started dreading them now, he thought as he walked to his locker, but he couldn't help it. Opening up his locker he dumped all his stuff inside. He wasn't going to need a notebook for his next class. He set off down the hall to the gym. Gym was his favorite class probably because it was the one he was best at. He had always been good at physical things like working out.

As he walked into the large school gymnasium he broke out into a huge grin. His dad was standing in the middle of the room decked out in full P.E. teacher attire. His father had been working as the schools gym teacher for as long as Lee has known him.

"Hey dad," said Lee as he began walking over to where his father was standing.

Gai looked up from his clipboard as he heard the familiar voice of his son call his name. "Hello Lee. I see your taking my class this year." he smiled proudly at his son.

"I have to take your class it's required remember," said Lee trying not roll his eyes but then quickly putting in, "but even if it wasn't I'd still take it." He didn't want to hurt his dad's feelings and it was true he'd take this class every year no matter who taught it. It was his favorite after all but having his dad teach it made it all even more fun.

Gai beamed at his adoptive son. "Well you better go get changed I have something fun planned since today is the first day."

"You always having something good planned."

"Yes but today I have something better."

Lee kept grinning all the way over the locker rooms. He couldn't wait for class to start.

* * *

Gaara groaned when he glanced down at his schedule. He gym next, he hated gym. He had forgotten that unlike his old school here physical education was required for all four years not just two.

He walked to his locker with a sense of dread. Dropping all his stuff inside he walked to gym praying that he wouldn't really have to do anything. As soon as he stepped into the gym he realized all his hopes of not having to do anything were lost. The teacher was looked exactly like the kinda of teacher who actually loved to teach his subject. Of course you had to get past the very thick eyebrows first. What was it with people in this town and eyebrows? The guy looked uncannily like Lee which to Gaara was more unnerving than he would have liked.

"Hello, you must be one of the new kids," said the teacher as he saw Gaara walk into the large gymnasium. "I'm Gai Might. I'm going to be your gym teacher."

_Guy? Might?_ Huh!? People hear have weird names first Rock Lee now Gai Might. What's next?

"Ah.. I'm Gaara." He figured he should probably say something.

"Well since your new your going to need some gym clothes. There are extra clothes in the changing rooms. Lee's already in there he can help you find them," said Gai.

"Kay," he said simply walking away towards the locker rooms.

Great, he was going to have to talk to Lee some more, just what he needed.

He walked into the room just as Lee was in the process of taking off his shirt. He cleared his throat to make his presence know. The guy with the bowl cut spun around to face him letting his shirt fall back in place.

"Oh hey," Lee said.

"Gym clothes," Gaara said trying to avoid talk as much as possible.

"Oh. Okay," said Lee looking a little surprised. "Over here," he said as he led Gaara to the opposite part of the locker room to a wall full of cabinets. He pulled open the door of one of the cabinets to reveal a mountainous stack of gym uniforms, all of which were in green. Well at least they weren't orange or yellow, two of his least favorite colors.

"Do you need any help finding your size?" asked Lee trying to be helpful again.

Gaara just shook his head in a clear meaning of no. Lee looked a little crestfallen but didn't push the subject. He left Gaara alone much to Gaara's pleasure.

After digging though the pile of clothes Gaara finally found something that would fit him. Sometimes he really hated being on the small side, it made finding clothes a bit harder. Though he had the say he was mostly just thankful that all the uniforms didn't come tumbling down and bury him alive. Of course now that he had the clothes it meant he actually had to change. He had never been comfortable changing in front of other people mostly because he usually had bruises and other injuries that he would rather not explain. Not to mention a few scars. Oh well maybe if he changed fast enough no one would notice. Gaara turned to face the room and his impending doom as he liked to think of it as...

He nearly dropped the clothes in his arms and he was pretty sure his jaw hit the floor too. Right across the room directly in his line of vision was Lee in nothing but his jeans. His entire lean torso rippled with sinewy muscles. Gaara couldn't believe his eyes the guy had an eight pack, an eight pack for heavens sake. He didn't think he'd ever met anyone with an eight pack. He couldn't seem to stop staring and vaguely hoped somewhere in the back of his head that no one had noticed. Lee was just standing there casually talking to some other boy completely oblivious that he was (and Gaara couldn't believe he was actually saying this in his head) hot.

Gaara ripped his eyes away mentally scolding himself for even considering drooling. He scuttled over to one of the corners hoping beyond hope that he wasn't blushing. He couldn't remember a time when he had blushed but his skin was so light he knew it would easily turn red. Cursing his light complexion he got dressed.

As he walked out of the room he kept his head down determined no to look at anyone especially no at Lee. Once outside the locker rooms he saw some other kids already lined up along one of the walls. He spotted the blond head of Naruto and the black haired guy he had seen sitting next to Naruto at Lee's lunch table. They were talking animatedly about something, well the blond was the dark haired guy was standing calmly more listening than talking. He also saw the pink haired girl from one of his other classes, the one that had sat next to Lee. Another girl just ran past him in the direction of a boy with long brown hair and usual white eyes. He recognized the brown buns high on the back of her head. It was the other girl that had sat next to Lee.

Well at least he was actually able to identify some of the people by sight if not name. He took that as a good sign.

"Alright is everyone out of the dressing room."

Gaara looked up at the sound of the teacher's voice.

"Okay since today is the first day we're going to play dodge ball," said Mr. Might in very excited tones.

_Mr. Might, _wow he was going to have a hard time saying the teachers name aloud, at least not with a straight face. That was saying something to, he pretty much never had an urge to smile or laugh but you had to emit Mr. Might was really ridiculous.

Loud cheers sounded around him at Mr. Might'sannouncement. Apparently dodge ball was really popular here.

"Alright the captains will beee," the teacher drew out the be as he surveyed all the students, "Sakura and Ino."

The pink haired girl walked over to where Mr. Might was standing. She was closely fallowed by another girl with long pale blond hair help in a ponytail.

So that was her name, Sakura, Gaara would have to remember that she was in his class. He may not like to talk to people but he at least made sure he new the persons name if he did end up having to say something to them.

"Hey Ino Pig ready to lose," said Sakura taunting the other girl.

"Only if you and that big forehead of yours are Sakura," the blond girl taunted back.

They both glared at each other grinding their teeth. Well these two obviously have some issues, Gaara thought.

Mr. Might flipped a coin, "Okay Sakura you can pick first."

"I choose Sasuke," said Sakura smirking at Ino.

Ino clenched her hands into fists.

Gaara just watched as the black haired guy he'd seen with Naruto walked over and stood next to Sakura.

"Fine," Ino said. "Then I pick Neji."

The guy with the long brown hair and white eyes took a place next to Ino. Gaara vaguely wondered if the guy was blind since he could think of no other reason why the he would have white eyes. Then he just discarded the idea Neji, or whatever his name was, was watching everyone with way to much clarity to be blind.

So it went on, the girls picked people one by one all the while shooting scathing retorts at each other. He just stood by and watched leaning against the wall. He was the new kid so he didn't expect to be picked any time soon, which was no problem for him. He noticed that Naruto ended up on Sakura's team and the guy his sister had been talking too had made onto Ino's team along with another guy that looked very out of shape. They're names where Shikamaru and Chouji if he had heard right. The girl with the buns went to Ino's team while a girl with the same white eyes as Neji and a guy with messy brown hair went to Sakura's team. For some reason the guy with the brown hair distinctly reminded him of a dog. Lee took his place on Ino's team and guy with black hair and a pair of black lensed glasses went to Sakura's team. Several more people were called until it was finally his turn since he was now the last person left.

"Well I guess I get the new guy then," said Sakura as she was the final one to pick.

And the game began.

Gaara spent all his time standing behind everyone else on his team trying not to get hit. He didn't like sports and he really didn't like team sports. Lucky for him he was the new kid and pretty much everyone ignored him. They were all to busy trying to kill each other. Although the one guy with the dark glasses got him out once.

Gaara couldn't help but watch Lee as he played and he had to say Lee played really well. He was getting people out almost every time he threw a ball and he heard just about everyone of them complain about how hard the ball had hit them.

The class it seemed passed by really quickly which was all good for him, Gaara thought, as he walked back into the locker room. Though he hadn't disliked the class as much as he thought he would he was still ready to go home and get away for all the people. He had decided he hated being the new kid and what was worse it was now his official title. Everyone would know him as just "the new kid."

He took his time changing back into his regular clothes, not really paying attention to his surroundings. By the time he got out of the locker the bell to end school had already rung and everyone else had headed to there lockers to grab their stuff or just get rid of it so they could go home. As he walked to his locker he remember that Teamri had driven him to school today which meant he would have to wait for her to pick him up. He hoped she would remember he didn't really want to have to call her. It also reminded him that he hadn't seen Kankuro all day. He didn't make a habit of looking for his brother at school in fact Kankuro and him kinda avoided each other most of the time but he still had to wonder what had happened to his sibling. But his question was answered as he walked out the school to see Kankuro standing in front of the mostly empty parking lot.

"Hey have you seen Temari," said Kankuro when he spotted Gaara.

Gaara just shook his head not even bothering to point out that he just walked out of the building.

"Were is she. This is why I hate it when she drives us to school then we have to wait around for her," Kankuro ranted. "She probably forgot." he took out his cell phone but just as he started to dial the number for their sisters cell she pulled up right in front of them.

"Your late," said Kankuro.

"Well sorry," Temari said her voice dipping with sarcasm. "I had to get out of class I case your forgetting I'm still in school even if it's collage.

Gaara ignored his siblings corralling and hoped into the back seat.

A good fifteen minutes or so later he walked into his quiet people less bedroom and flopped down on his bed. Who would have thought that his first day of school would leave him felling so exhausted. He was just glad it was the first day cause that meant he didn't have homework and that was the last thing he wanted to do right now. He grabbed the pillow above his head and pulled it over his face blocking all sight and drifted into the closet thing to actual sleep he ever got.

Sometime much later he heard someone open his door and walk into his room. He yanked the pillow off his face prepared to tell whichever of his siblings who decided to bother him to get lost but when he turned his head he didn't see one of his sibs he saw his dad. FUCK!, was his first thought then, no! why did he have to come home today? Gaara stayed perfectly still waiting to see if his father would hit him or just saying something and leave. Then his father walked forward grabbed him by the collar and hit him. His head snapped back from the blow. He didn't fight back he learned that that just ended up in an even worse beating. He didn't cry out or let the pain show on his face. He knew from years of experience that the more he let show the more painful things got. He let his mind go numb something he figured out how to do as a child. It was just a way of blocking everything out so he didn't feel it. It was like he would step out of his own body and just sorta watch everything happen but never feeling it. It may keep the pain at bay now but he knew he would feel it all later.

The beating didn't last to long. Of the beatings he'd had this one was mild compared to some of the other. He was just glad there were no blades this time. Cuts took longer to heal, stung, hurt like hell and were harder to hide. Just as his father was about to walk out of the room he turned around.

"There is a demon in you and one day I will force it out."

Then he left.

Gaara stayed were he was for a moment then gingerly got up and let himself fall rather ungracefully on to the bed. He knew he should probably go to the bathroom and assess the damage but he was to sore to move. So he just laid there till long after it was dark.

* * *

Lee lay in bed that night wide awake, all his thoughts of Gaara keeping him awake. He didn't know anything about him except that his name was Gaara and he had moved here from some other town. He was so curious he had to know more about this very cute new student. And there was something about his eyes. They had been so full of...what? Sadness, pain. It was like there was something he never told anyone some secret that only he knew. Was it the secret that caused him pain or was the pain the reason he kept the secret in the first place.

Lee started to drift to sleep.

I wonder what Gaara was doing right now, what he's thinking.

* * *

**Author's Note:** **For those of you who are Gaara fans i'm sorry he's abused but its part of the plot. Believe me I'm a fan to and i hate being cruel to him but for the sake of my writing just deal. Well i hoped you liked the latest chapter and please leave a review. Hopefully i'll be back next month with a new chapter.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: i don't own Naruto allthough i would very much like to**

**Author's Note: Chapter 3 here we go. This chapter was a struggle to write so i'm sorry if its kinda rough in places. It's not as long as my other two as well but hey at least i got it done.**

* * *

**Chapter 3 -**

Gaara stood in front of the bathroom mirror inspecting the bruise on his jaw. It wasn't terrible but it was bad enough that he would have to wear a little make-up to cover it up. He pulled out a container of foundation and began to apply it to his bruise. He had started keeping a supply when he was younger. He didn't like to wear it but he would rather wear some foundation for a day or two than have to think up an explanation for every little mark. Giving himself one last check in the mirror he walked back into his room.

Gaara shucked the black pants and red and fishnet shirts he'd been wearing. He hadn't bothered to take off his clothes last night. He'd been too tried but as always he hadn't slept. He stepped over to his dresser and fished out some pants and a shirt. Pulling on the simple snug jeans he slipped into a rusty red long sleeved shirt. Well at least that will cover up any bruises on my arms he thought.

He finished dressing and walked down the stairs. Ounce again he was up long before the rest of his family. Taking his usual seat at the breakfast bar Gaara pondered over what he would have for breakfast. It wasn't really all that important to him but didn't really have anything else to do. So what to eat well he could just have cereal again or he could have pancakes. Then again he could also wait for Temari or his dad to get up and make something but they didn't always make breakfast. In the end he just got up and threw together a bowl of cereal deciding that: A.) He was too tired to do anything that involved effort. B. He didn't really want to wait for Temari or his dad to get up. Plus there was a good chance that neither of them would make anything anyway. And C.) He didn't really care what he had, if anything.

He ate slowly listening for the sounds of everyone else waking up. Still waiting for any signs of life Gaara decided to have another bowl of cereal. Just as he was about to start was about to start on his freshly poured second bowl his father, Temari and Kankuro all came down stairs. After a bit of a mini whirlwind of food they all sat down with some sort of breakfast. For the most part they ate in silence. Every so often Gaara's father would ask siblings something about their studies or school. He didn't get much for answers considering the fact that school had only just started yesterday. Gaara was ignored which was all fine with him, the last thing he wanted to do was draw anyone's, especially his father's, attention.

15 or so minutes later he was sitting next to Kankuro in the shiny sliver car they shared on the way to the school.

* * *

"Lee! Lee! Hey Bushy Brows!"

"Huh," Lee said as he turned to see the blond head of Naruto Uzumaki charging for him.

Naruto skidded to a halt in front of him, surprisingly not fallowed by Sasuke.

"Lee you have got to see the car that the new kid Gaara and his brother pulled up in." He grabbed Lee by the arm and pulled him over to the front entrance of the school. "See over there," said Naruto pointing over to the east side of the parking lot.

For a moment all Lee's eyes seemed to be able to focus on was Gaara's pale face with its halo of messy red hair above jade green eyes. After giving himself a little mental shake he noticed the car that Gaara had just stepped out of. It was a sliver very expensive looking Volvo.

"First a convertible now this," said Naruto "Man they must be rich."

"Sounds like your jealous Naruto," replied Lee

"Of course I am. I'm 16 and I don't even have a car let alone one like that," Naruto pouted as he began to walk inside the school.

Lee fallowed. " I thought that you were saving up to get one."

"I am but even with me working as many extra hours as I can it still take awhile."

"Are you still working at the ramen place," Lee asked.

"Yup and one of the benefits is that I get free meals." Naruto grinned from ear to ear.

"Don't you ever eat anything other than ramen?"

"Nope I thought you would have figured that out by now Lee."

Lee rolled his eyes. He swore Naruto would end up killing himself with all the ramen he ate. It could not be healthy.

"Hey Naruto," said a clam slightly arrogant voice.

They both turned their head toward the noise.

"Hey Sasuke," said Naruto, slinging an arm over his friends shoulders as he joined the little group.

Sasuke gave Naruto an unpleasant look. "Get off me loser."

"Ohhh somebody's a bit touchy. What's wrong with you, didn't sleep?" Naruto said though he extracted his arm from Sasuke's shoulders.

Sasuke just glared at his best friend and greatest rival. Naruto grinned back. Then Sasuke turned his attention toward Lee. "Hi Lee."

"Hey Sasuke," Lee replied.

"Sasuke dude you have to see this car that Gaara came to school in," said Naruto pouncing on his raven haired friend.

"I'm gonna go. I'll see you guys later," said Lee

"Okay see ya," said Naruto already attempting to force Sasuke to the door by any means necessary.

Lee turned away and headed for the English room. He was pretty sure that's were Gaara would be. He wanted try and talk to him again. As he reached the door he paused for a moment before opening it. There was no one inside. Lee flicked on the lights.

He felt half relived and half disappointed. As to why he had no idea. He sat down in one of the desks deciding just to wait but less than a minute later he began to fidget. He was nervous. Wow sad he thought. He'd only just met the guy and he was as nervous as a kid on his first date and all he was gonna do is see if he could get Gaara to talk to him. But any other thoughts that would have crossed his mind were halted by a loud click coming from the door. Then it swung open to reveal a very annoyed looking Gaara. Lee had to resist the urge to flinch. If he had thought Gaara had had a bit of a dangerous presence before it was nothing compared to the felling he was getting now Note to self: Avoid getting a certain red head angry.

Lee met Gaara's gaze but it was work. Who would have thought that such perfect green eyes could be so scary. Summoning up all his youthful backbone Lee smiled.

"Hey Gaara."

Gaara just glared back him with his cold eyes as he took a seat in the back. Lee turned around in his desk so he could continue to face the red head.

"Um I was wondering since your new and all ah where are you from?" Lee blurted out the first he could think of. Oh smooth move he thought. People have probably asked him that a hundred times already. That's defiantly going to make he even more pissed.

Oddly enough it didn't. Gaara completely ignored him. Instead he had gotten out his book and started to read. But that did nothing to put out Lee.

"Ah Gaara." He actually got up and walked over to stand in front of the pale emo boy. "I wanted to know where you lived before you moved here."

Gaara's hand paused in the middle of turning a page. Lee watched as he calmly marked the page and closed the book. Then he raised his black rimmed gaze to make Lee's

"Shut up." The words came out of Gaara's mouth softly and icy cold.

Lee just sorta blankly stared at him. He had no idea what to say. Finally he managed to spit something out. "But..."

"No," Said Gaara standing up. The effect was intimidating even if he was still a fair amount shorter than Lee. "Hwy the hell do you insist on bothering me," Gaara's voice growing more forceful and angry with every word. "Why can't you just leave me alone like everyone else. You're almost as bad as that loud mouth Uzumaki. Just shut the fuck up and leave me alone. I don't want to be friends so stop trying to talk to me." Gaara was breathing hard as he finished, fuming. He sat back down and savagely opened his book.

Lee stood there for a couple more seconds blinking. He was completely stunned. He walked back as the bell rang in numb state of shock.

* * *

Gaara breathed a sign of relief as he caught sight of the door of his English class at the end of the hall. He had just barley managed to avoid Naruto but now he was home free. He could hide out in the empty room and no one would bother him. At least not until the bell rings.

As soon as he got to the door he opened it and slipped inside. Just before he was about to close the door behind him he caught sight of a familiar black bowl cut. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the now smiling Rock Lee, immediately considering turning around and walking right back though the door.

"Hey Gaara,"said Lee in a cheery voice that grated on Gaara's already shredded nerves.

He focused a very unpleasant look in Lee's direction before proceeding to his seat. He didn't say anything even the tiniest sound would most likely just encourage the gut. Just ignore him and he'll leave you alone thought Gaara. Unfortunately as soon as he sat down he saw Lee turn around in his seat to face him.

Great

"Um I was wondering since your new and all ah where are you from?" said Lee

Gaara didn't reply, he didn't move and he was pretty sure he didn't breathe either. He was to busy trying to keep himself from exploding. God will you shut up before I snap already he screamed inside his own head.

Somewhere in his outer line of vision he saw Lee get up and move to stand in front of him.

"Ah Gaara I wanted to know where you lived before you moved here." questioned Lee again.

Gaara in a strangely calm state marked the page in his book, close it and set it down on the desk. "Shut up," he said very softly with chill and malice in every syllable. The darker side of his personality rearing its ugly head.

"...but...," said Lee

That was it whatever Gaara had been using to hold back his anger busted into a million pieces.

"No!" Gaara shot angrily from his seat. "Why the hell do you insist on bothering me. Why can't you just leave alone like everyone else. You're almost as bad as that loud mouth Uzumaki! Just shut the fuck up and leave me alone! I don't want to be friends so stop trying to talk to me!" by the time he finished he was practically shouting. Gaara sat back down and ripped open his book. He was determined to ignore Rock Lee even if it killed him.

The bell rang and Lee moved back to his seat.

An hour later Gaara walked out of the English room. He was still pretty pissed but he had cooled down enough that he was beginning to regret his outburst. This wasn't like him. He didn't get mad like that and start yelling at people. It was official this had to be one of the worst ways you could possibly start off you school year at a new school.

He headed off to his next class attempting to calm his still writhing temper.

* * *

The next several classes where a complete blur to Lee. If you asked him a single thing about what had happened he wouldn't have a clue what the hell you where even trying to say. Before he even realized it he was standing line for lunch. He didn't pay any attention to what he put on his tray so when he sat down he had no idea of what he was going to eat. He was distracted. All Lee could think about was the fight he had had with Gaara. If you could even call it that? All he had done is stand there in shock and listen to Gaara shout at him. He could understand that all the stress and nervousness from being the new kid could make a person a bit testy but Gaara's angry tirade was a bit over the edge.

Arrrrgg he groaned to himself. He felt horrible not only were his own feelings dented he hadn't exactly made Gaara feel all that happy either. Lee had always had sensitive feelings and a really big heart but he still wasn't really sure why the fact that Gaara was mad at him made him feel so bad. He shouldn't care so much about anything that has to do with a guy he'd only know for about a day and a half but he did.

"Hi Lee," said Sakura as she sat down next to him. Her chin length pink hair held back from her face with a simple white ribbon. She had on a comfortable yet cute pair of dark blue jeans. Her t-shirt was, form-fitting with a white circle design on the front. "Hey you look kinda down is something wrong?" she asked

TenTen sat down on his other side and upon hearing the end of the other girls sentence a concerned look settled on her face. "Yeah you do look down. Did something happen?"

"Oh no. I'm just tired," said Lee putting on a false smile. He didn't really want to get into the whole story about getting his ass chewed by a certain rather small red head.

"Are you sure," persisted Sakura.

It wasn't until after having to insist that he was fine many times over did both girls finally give up, convinced that he was okay. While they had been arguing over Lee's current emotional state Neji had sat down next to TenTen.

Slipping an arm around Ten Ten's waist he turned to Lee. "You know you might as well confess. They're not going to give it up until you do," he said.

Lee just pulled a face.

"Hey guys," said the loud voice of Naruto as he slid into the seat across from Lee.

"Hey Naruto,"said Lee and almost everyone else at the table.

Sitting down in the seat next to the blond was Sasuke.

"Oh hi Sasuke," said Sakura giggly flirtatious voice.

It was no secret that Sakura had had the biggest crush on Sasuke since they were little kids.

Naruto feigned gagging and pulled a disgusted expression.

"Naruto!" growled angrily. She reached across the table and smacked him on the head.

"Owww," said Naruto rubbing the lump on his abused head, "Why do you have to be so mean all the time."

Sakura continued to glare at him from across the table..

They were soon joined by several other members of their class including Shikamaru and Chouji, shortly fallowed by Kiba, Shino, and behind them trying to attract as little attention as possible Hinata. Last but not least was Ino.

"Hey Sasuke," said Ino in a coy voice as she practically shoved Kiba out of his seat so she could sit next to Sasuke. She was decked out in her usual rather scandalously short purple skirt and matching baby tee. Ino was, like Sakura, one of Sasuke's endless stream of fangirls.

"Get away from him you pig," said Sakura aggressively. Slamming her palms on the table she leaned forward until she was right in Ino's face.

Unfortunately Ino was also Sakura's greatest rival.

"Back off little miss forehead. He's mine," said Ino with equal aggression.

"No he's not," growled Sakura.

Both girls were on their feet now glaring at each other.

With much effort Shikamaru, Chouji, Lee and TenTen managed to force the two hissing and clawing girls back in their seats. Though they both they both kept throwing dirty looks at each other over their trays.

As the lunch hour progressed on, conversation continued but Lee took almost no part. He was still too focused on Gaara. When lunch ended he went to scrape his tray only to realize ha hadn't touched any of his food. Feeling a little guilty about the waste he left to his next class, dragging his feet all the way.

The rest of the day Lee paid a little more attention to his classes but not by much. As he walked into the gym for his last class all he wanted to do was go home and burry his face in his pillow. He vaguely waved to his dad as he walked past him to the locker room. Pretty much all the guys were already half way changed. Normally it would have bothered him that he was close to being late but today he didn't really care.

As he switched clothes Lee's eyes kept trailing to the far corner of the locker room where Gaara was changing. He was standing apart from everyone else, separate. Although Lee knew he wasn't exactly feeling all that friendly toward the red head he couldn't help but admire the pale flesh being revealed before him. At first glance Gaara looked as if he was nothing but skin and bone but Lee could see there was more. Gaara had sinewy muscles that roped around his arms and legs. There wasn't a single ounce of extra fat on his body. Gaara may not be real muscular but he defiantly wasn't out of shape. Lee was willing to bet that Gaara was stronger than he looked. His eyes trailed after the emo boy as he walked out of the room. This was going to be a long year thought Lee.

He executed no where near his usual youthful performance during his favorite hour of the day. They were doing dodge ball again. He hardly hit anyone and just about everyone on the opposing team got him out.

When the bell rang to signal the end of school he trudged to his locker then trudged back to the gym. He poked his head inside the door way. Upon spotting his father Lee said loud enough for the sound to travel across the large gymnasium, "Dad I'm gonna walk home today, okay."

Gai looked up from putting away all the dodge balls. "You sure you don't want to wait a little while till I can give you a ride?"

"It's okay. Besides its good exercise," replied Lee

"Okay. It's good to see you keeping in shape. I'm proud of you Lee." said Gai with his usual gusto.

Lee had expected his father to say something about his horrible time in gym. He was glad he didn't.

The walk home helped clear his head but as soon as he got into his house he dropped his bag on the floor, walked straight to his room and gave into his earlier urge to burry his face in his pillow. He didn't move again till his dad called him for supper.

Lee ate in silence caught up in his own thoughts. When he was done he got up and as he placed his dishes in the sink his father broke the awkward quiet that had proceeded all through the meal.

"Did something happen at school today, Lee? You haven't been yourself."

Lee paused in the process of putting his plate in the sink, debating whether or not to tell his father what really had happened that day. He decided yes and that it was probably easier to just get it over with.

"I got into a fight today," he said. He waited for the explosion that he knew would come.

"What! Lee what were you thing. I told you to use your strength unless it's to protect someone important to you," Gai lectured.

"Dad it was nothing like that," Lee said turning around and interrupting his father. "I didn't hurt anyone. I accidentally got one of the new kids angry and he kinda flew off the handle."

Gai calmed down greatly but his face still held a very concerned look. "How exactly did you get this kid mad?"

"I was asking him questions about where he came from. I think he was just fed up with people asking him questions like that." Lee said rather sheepishly.

"What is this guy's name? I should have I talk with him about controlling his temper," said Gai.

"No, no you don't need to talk to him. I'm sure he was just stressed out. Besides I'm fine," said Lee, rushing to prevent his father from having any kind of conversation with Gaara about his anger problems.

"Are you sure?" asked Gai

"Yes I'm fine," Lee insisted

"Okay if you sure. I'm sorry I got mad at you," said Gai getting tears in his eyes. He hated punishing his son.

"And I am sorry I made you angry," said Lee getting teary eyed as well.

"Oh Lee forgive me," said Gai as he hugged his son.

"I do," said Lee blubbering and crying all over his father shoulder.

"But," said Gai ending the father son moment, "you still have to do the dishes."

Lee rolled his eyes and stared on the dishes.

* * *

As Gaara and Kankuro walked in the door they were practically run over by their sister. She had a computer bag slung over her shoulder and was caring what looked like a libraries worth of text books. Both boys wisely stepped out of the way of the door.

"Okay," said Temari as paused turning around in the door way, "I have to go to class. Dad is at a press conference. I'm not sure when he'll be back and the maid is coming to clean at 6:00.

So its just me and Kankuro thought Gaara as he watched Temari walk out the door, looks like we're gonna have leftover then. He closed the door behind his sister and listened to her drive away. He glanced around. Kankuro was no were to be seen. He was probably already downstairs in the entertainment room playing Halo or some other video game. Gaara let out a breath and walked up to his room. Well one good thing about it just being him and Kankuro has going to get plenty of alone time. As he walked in to his room he dropped his bag on his bed and stepped out of his shoes. Then he walked into the bathroom stripped off the rest of his clothes, turned on the shower and stepped under the hot spray. Gaara turned around and rested his head on the opposite wall of the shower letting the water beat a steady rhythm across his back soothing his achy bruised muscles. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander.

It didn't take long before his mind wandered to the argument he had had with Lee that morning. He grimaced. He really shouldn't have gotten so mad.

GAHHHH Gaara screamed in his head. Why do I care if I hurt the feelings of some random guy don't even know.

He let out a frustrated sound turned around so his back was against the wall of the shower and slid down the slick surface until he was sitting on the tiles covering the base of the shower. Gaara just sat there a while staring at the pattern made by the tile. Finally he made himself get up and start washing his hair.

He didn't really make it a habit of showering after school but since he didn't exactly get a chance to take one last night and he was to tried to take that morning he figured it would probably be a pretty good idea to take one before he started to reek. Plus the hot water always helped with the aches and pains of getting beat.

Rinsing the last of the soap suds of his body Gaara shut of the water and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and dried off. Then he pulled his clothes back on. He paused in front of the mirror to check the bruises on his face. They were still purplish but not nearly as dark as they were that morning. The swelling was gone and for that he was thankful. Although no one had noticed today, swelling often gave his injuries away even when he covered the bruises. In another day or two all traces of the injuries would be gone thanks to Gaara's ability to heal a hell of a lot faster than most people.

Sighing he walked back to his room. He flipped on the small TV crammed into one of the corners of his room. Gaara plopped down on his bed and watched mindless TV programs for the rest of the evening. He heard the front door open and close twice but no one bothered him. Outside the windows the light faded till night overcame the city that was, whether he liked it of not, Gaara's new domain.

* * *

"He shoots. He scores. Yeah! The crowd goes wild." Said Lee as he made a perfect 3 pointer in the empty gymnasium. It was Friday school had just got out and he was supposed to be putting the basketballs away. Instead he was messing around shooting hoops. He picked up the ball before it rolled to far away and added it to the rack with all the other balls. As he bent down to pick up another ball he heard his name.

"Lee there you are."

Lee looked up to see TenTen's head poking through the large gymnasium doors.

"Hi TenTen ," he said as he watched the rest of her emerge through the doors and start walking toward him.

"Helping your dad?" said TenTen gesturing to the basketballs scattered around the large gym.

"Yeah he had to run to a teachers meeting and I said I'd put everything away," said Lee. He picked up another ball and added it to the rack. "What are you doing here anyway doesn't Neji drive you home."

TenTen rolled her eyes. "Just cause Neji is insanely overprotective and insists that he escort me home everyday doesn't mean I have to put up with him driving me home." She let out a little laugh. "Believe it or not he's my boyfriend not my babysitter. Besides I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh. What did you want to talk about," said Lee a little taken aback.

"Well you've been really down this week did something happen and don't try denying it," said TenTen in a concerned voice.

Lee sighed. Sometimes it was very inconvenient that TenTen had been his friend for so long and knew him so well. Well he might as well get it over with. She wasn't going to give up till he gave in.

"I …well I kinda like this person and the first time I talked to them it didn't really turn out that well," he said hesitantly.

Ten Ten's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. "Oooooo Lee's got a crush. Who is she? Is she new? Do I know her?"

"TenTen please," begged Lee rising up his arms trying to defend himself.

"Alright fine I won't drill you … yet," she said with an evil look. "What you need is a way to get her to talk to you." TenTen made an mmming sound as her features took on a thoughtful expression. "Oh I know get her to tutor you."

"What?!" Lee's face was doubtful. "I don't think that would work. I mean…"

"It'll be easy," said TenTen cutting across him. "All you have to do is find something you're bad at and she's good at. Relax," she said as Lee's expression became more and more skeptical. "How do you think I got Neji to start noticing me? It was because of a crazy scheme just like this. It'll be simple," she explained conjuring a black board, a pointer and a pair of glasses out of no where. She began pointing out various and directions on the board. "We find a subject that she excels in or is at least better than you in and that you're very bad at or at least mediocre in. Or we find something she's bad at and you're good at. But believe me this is easier to set up if she's teaching you. Well at least easier to set up with out her knowing. Anyway you go to the teacher that teaches that particular subject and request a tutor. The teacher will probably recommend a list of other students or ask if you had anyone in mind. Most of the time the teacher will let you choose your tutor cause they want your tutor to be someone you can actually stand so you won't have a problem getting this girl as your tutor. You can ask the girl herself to teach you but if she for some reason is in anyway difficult like maybe she doesn't talk to you than I would recommend the teacher approach. That way there's no way she can say no. Now once you've secured her as your tutor wait several weeks to make a move. You have to go slow to prevent her from finding out or form scaring her off somehow. Women don't like to be rushed unless they're the ones rushing. Okay you got all that." TenTen finished as her black board , pointer, and glasses disappeared into the thin air from wince they had come.

"I… I think so," stuttered Lee in a very dazed state.

" Don't worry. It'll all go down smooth as silk," she assured him.

"If you say so," he said still a little stunned. " Tell me do you enjoy scheming like this and condemning another student.

"As a matter of fact I enjoy it very much."

Suddenly a ringtone went off. TenTen raised her eyes to the heavens.

"That'll be Neji. Call me if you need any advice or help or another plan," she said as she flipped out her cell phone waving over her shoulder as she walked away.

Lee smiled as he watched TenTen's buns disappear behind the door as she exited the gym chatting on her phone. What could he say the girl meant well even if she did get a little carried away.

He hadn't exactly been talking about a girl when he said he was having problems but then again TenTen didn't really know he was gay. He wasn't ashamed he was gay it was just he had never felt comfortable telling anyone. Lee's face split into an even bigger goofier smile. The idea of Gaara as his tutor was well absurd but as Lee finished putting away the rest of the basketballs he began to think about TenTen's plan more and more.

* * *

**Author's Note: There i hope you liked it. I loved writing the sceen with TenTen it was kinda a just came up on the spot kinda thing but it turned out really funny. At least i thought it did. Anyway please review. oh and the next chapter might be kinda late cause i'm getting swamped with end of the year schoole assginments and i haven't had a chance to write. Sorry i'll try to get i done on time but i can't make any promises**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer - i do not own Naruto. do you really think that masashi kishimoto would have such a yaoied up plot. or would he O_o**

**Authors note - okay first of all i am so so sorry i've taken so freaking long to posty this chapter. school started and i'm taking a bunch of hard classes so i haven't had much time to write. i've been to busy doing homework. i'm going to try really hard to get the next chapter done sooner but i'm not making any promises. anyway without furthar delay cause you've been delayed long enough i present chapter 4.**

Gaara eyed the back of Lee's head suspiciously. He was sitting in their first hour English class glaring at the back of that black haired head. Lee hadn't said or come anywhere with in five feet of him since they had gotten into that fight which had been about two weeks ago. Under any normal circumstances he would have been perfectly happy with this, actually no he would have been overjoyed with this. The more people who left him alone the better but for some reason it was driving him crazy and it was diving him crazy that it was driving him crazy. He was going out of his mind with paranoid insanity. Even though Lee hadn't come anywhere near him Gaara could have sworn that he had caught Lee looking at him several times. Lee had to be planning something.

Ah great thought Gaara not only does my insomnia make me sleep deprived it's making me paranoid to.

He crossed his arms on his desk and buried his head in them. He was tired, frustrated and a whole lot of other things and he did not want to be here. Gaara closed his eyes and blocked out the light that seeped though the cracks between his arms. All of a sudden there was a loud crack. He jerked his head up to see what the hell had happened. The English teacher over him a book in her hand which she had obviously just used to smack against the desk.

"There will be no sleeping in my class. If you want to sleep do it on your own time not when I'm trying to teach you."

All the other students snickered as she scolded Gaara.

He just looked up at her keeping his expression blank. He didn't apologize but he didn't smart off either. The teacher gave him on last stern look before walking back to the front of the class to resume her lesson.

About an hour and a half later the bell rang to signal the end of Gaara's 2nd hour trig class. He grabbed his books and attempted to leave the classroom but before he could make it to the door his teacher Mr. Kakashi Hatake called him back.

"Gaara can I speak to you."

Gaara turned around and walked to the silver haired mans desk trying hard not to let out a frustrated sigh.

"Gaara I have an assignment for you. I have a student who has always had some problems in math and he's been struggling with his trig. Since you seem to have very good marks and understand the subject I want you to tutor him."

Although Gaara's expression remained neutral his mental eyebrows shot about a foot up his mental forehead. _Who the hell could think that he could tutor anyone?_

"He isn't in the same class as you but your both on the same track so you shouldn't have any problems helping him. Normally I have Sakura tutor but she's busy enough with all of the volunteer work she does at the hospital and you seem to be the only students who isn't involved in any extracurricular activities," said Kakashi.

"Who exactly am I tutoring?" Gaara asked almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Rock Lee," said Kakashi confirming Gaara's worst nightmare.

Gaara could hear a little voice in the back of his mind screaming NOOOOOOOOOOO!

The sound of the bell ringing interrupted his mental fit throwing.

"Opps," said Kakashi, "You'd better get to class. Here I'll write you a pass." Kakashi quickly wrote up a pass and handed it to Gaara. "Oh, Lee will probably get a hold of sometime today or tomorrow so you guys can set up some study times."

Gaara vaguely gave a small nod of his head and walked out of the room.

He was in an extremely bad mood for the rest of the day. He glared at just about everyone who came within five feet of him. When he was once again pounced on by Naruto, who still hadn't given up on befriending him, he gave the blond such an evil cold look that he saw the students closest to him edge their seats a little father away. He was seriously considering skipping his last hour gym class because he was beginning to think if he saw Lee he would strangle him.

Tutor my ass, Gaara thought. Well at least now he had a reason to be paranoid. He thought Lee was up to something and low and behold Gaara's tutoring the guy.

Even as he walked through the gym doors he was still contemplating turning right back around and walking out of the school. Despite that it went against all his better judgment he went to the locker rooms, changed and did the mindless physical exercise that was required of him. To his surprise he managed to get though the whole class without maiming anyone or having any urges to. Unfortunately he was pretty sure that was more due to the fact that Lee didn't try to approach him than his will to be decent to people. _Wow that says a lot for my morals. _

As soon as class was over Gaara ran to the locker room switched clothes as fast as he could and was about to make his escape when it happened. Just as he put his hand on the gym door he heard Lee call his name.

"Hey Gaara can I talk to you for a minute."

Gaara turned to face his impending doom.

"Has Mr. Hatake told you that you'll be tutoring me?" asked Lee.

"Yeah," replied a very wary Gaara.

"Good cause I need to know what days you can tutor me. I'm pretty much free during the week. At least till soccer season starts."

He just looked at Lee

There was an awkward pause were Lee was obviously waiting for his reply but Gaara didn't really care.

"Well if your free Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays after school we could do it then. We can study at my place," said Lee breaking the moment of silence.

"Okay," Gaara said simply.

"Okaaaay. Ahhh…cool. Well I guess since tomorrows Wednesday I'll meet you after school and show you the my house."

"Sure," was Gaara's only reply.

"Well. Ahh , see ya"

Gaara watched Lee walk away for a minute before he turned back to the exit, his escape and hopefully if he got really lucky his normal safe nonLee life.

Right

* * *

Lee took a deep breath. Okay here we go. You can do this, he told himself.

After about two weeks of careful planning and snooping around he had managed to secure Gaara as his tutor. He couldn't believe he'd actually done it to. It's not like him at all to be this mischievous. It made him amazingly bad but in a good way, like being risky and wild bad. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if this was how Naruto felt all the time since he did things like this every day. Taking risks like sneaking out of class, things Lee never dared do. It had been hard work though, trying to find out a class Gaara could teach him in was way more difficult then it sounded. But he did it, he went through with TenTen's crazy plan and now came the truly hard part talking to his would be tutor. God he hoped Mr. Hatake had already broken the news to Gaara because he was a little scared about what would happen if he hadn't.

Lee took another deep breath and walked across the gymnasium toward that intensely red head.

"Hey Gaara can I talk to you for a minute," called out Lee once he got closer.

He saw Gaara freeze his hand on the handlebar of the door. Gaara turned around unleashing the full force of his green-eyed stare on Lee.

Lee trying not to let the hard look he was getting bother him asked, "Has Mr. Hatake told you you'll be tutoring me?"

"Yeah"

"Good cause I need to know what days you can tutor me. I'm pretty much free everyday during the week. At least until soccer season starts."

The words cam out in a jumbled rush. Lee's nervousness making itself obvious and it wasn't really being helped by Gaara's lack of response. Lee began to fidget under the red heads constant gaze. Finally not wanting to wait for Gaara's response that was obviously not coming Lee broke the awkward moment.

"Well if you're free on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays after school we could do it then. We can study at my place."

"Okay"

Lee blinked. _"Okay" that was it._ He was had been expecting more of a HELL NO.

"Okaaay Ah …cool. Well I guess since tomorrows Wednesday I'll meet you here after school and show you to my house." He said slightly off balance form Gaara's unexpected cooperation.

"Sure" Yet another simple not angry response.

_Why is this so easy? This is too easy. He's not getting pissed at me or anything._ Lee's mind run in circles trying to understand what in the world as going on. After the second or so it took for his mind to exhaust itself with questions he decided he should say something.

"Well. Ah see ya," Lee stuttered out the awkward reply and made a hasty retreat. As he walked away he let out a long breath. Who would have thought it would be so stressful to ask a few quick questions but it didn't matter. He had seceded. He now officially had a tutor. All he had left to do was make use of the time he was going to have with Gaara to make him hate him a little less. Lee shoulders slumped, and how was he supposed to do that. This had all seemed so much simpler when TenTen had explained it to him. Stay on the positive side he told him self, remain optimistic and youthful and there will be no chance of failure. Lee focused on his goal in the single minded way that only guys can achieve and walked back to his locker to gab his books.

* * *

Gaara sat in the passenger seat of his and Kankuro's silver car waiting for his cat eared brother to get out of the damn school. He was half considering driving away and leaving Kankuro to walk home. It wouldn't be that hard he had the spare set of keys and he was a bad enough mood that he wouldn't any kind of remorse if he did it. Not that he ever really felt remorse for anything in the first place.

"And he complains about Temari being late. I guess an inability to ever be around when you're supposed to runs in the family," muttered Gaara to no one in particular.

He could feel the first pangs of a wicked headache coming on. By the time he got home his head would be pounding. He had headaches a lot. It was the result of him being an insomniac. The lack of sleep increased his stress levels and lots of other scientific crap that some how ends with frequent headaches. Numerous doctors had explained it to him but he didn't really care. All he knew was that he was probably going to become a painkiller addict any day now.

Gaara heard the crunch of gravel and whir a skateboard wheels that announced the arrival of Kankuro. _Yes finally we're going to get somewhere. _Kankuro got into the car and started it up. Neither brother acknowledged the other in any way. They didn't say hi or ask how each other's day was. Gaara didn't even open his eyes. Kankuro just drove away the school slowly disappearing behind them.

As soon as he got inside Gaara made his way to the bathroom and wonderfully, glorious, life saving painkillers. He passed the big open kitchen catching a glimce of Temari's blond head seated at the breakfast bar, books and laptop spread out around her. He detoured to his room dumping his bag on the floor then slipped into the bathroom. About a minute later with a few drugs in his system he went back to his room and got out his homework.

He didn't really like homework but he didn't hate it either. In fact it was normally pretty easy for him. Since he had no social life and good grades were required weather you were the unwanted child or not he had gotten into the habit of just getting his work done. As Gaara worked out the various steps of a trig problem he wondered how he was going to explain to his family that he was a tutor. He normally didn't tell his family anything but he wasn't exactly allowed to just disappear without telling anyone. So he was going to have to explain that he was going to have to be gone because he had to teach some kid trig. Either they were all going to look at him like he was crazier then they thought he was or they were all going to bust out laughing.

Gaara finally blinked and rubbed his sore eyes. He had finished his work over an hour ago. But he had just been sitting staring at his paper since he had gotten done.

"I have got to stop zoning off all the time," Gaara muttered unhappily. He glanced at the clock on his desk and turned to leave he room. He was going to be hearing someone yelling at him to come eat in any minute.

"When you have insomnia your never really asleep and your never really awake" the quote ran though Gaara's head as he descended the stairs. It was from a movie that he had seen a long time ago but it was about right. When you had insomnia it really was like you were never asleep but never actually awake either.

Gaara slipped into the seat farthest from where his father usually sat just as Temari set the food on the table. He wondered weather or not Temari had cooked tonight or had their father.

"Hey Temari did you make the gruel tonight or did Gaara just bring home one of his victims," said a very sarcastic Kankuro as we walked into the room.

Gaara just about ducked under the table as he saw Temari prepare to explode. He was even more tempted to by the fact that she was holding a carving knife.

"Actually I made dinner tonight Kankuro," came a voice whose owners hand came to rest on his oldest sons shoulder.

Kankuro flinched and pulled a half scared half apologetic face. He had no problem getting his sister riled up but their father well that was a different matter. Quickly he moved away and sat at the table careful to keep his mouth shut and his eyes averted. Temari sat as well her temper in check but Gaara knew it was simmering just below the surface.

The meal was quiet no one spook but no one thought that was odd either. Gaara was actually surprised that everyone was even sitting here. His father was gone a lot, and Kankuro usually only came to get food then went somewhere else to eat or ate out. Temari sat at the table most of the time but that had more to do with the fact that she made the food half the time than anything else and Gaara well he just tended to eat alone away from everyone if he even ate. He didn't blame anyone from hardly being around for having a good "family meal". When his family where all in the same room it was weird and unpleasant and everyone avoided it if they could.

Gaara didn't eat he just picked at his meal working up the courage to do what he knew had to be done. Of course just cause it had to be done didn't mean he couldn't hate it and hate it he did. It wasn't until just about everyone else was done and Kankuro was getting up to put his dishes in the sink did he do it.

"I have to be gone tomorrow for a couple hours after school." He said it. He didn't ask, he said. It was a rather stupid attempt at defiance and he was probably going to pay for it later but he wouldn't let himself beg and show weakness.

His father finished chewing his food swallowed then spoke. "And why might I ask do you _have_ to be gone."

Both Kankuro and Temari froze watching the scene in front of them with extreme caution.

"I've been assigned to tutor a student in my class and I'm scheduled to tutor them tomorrow after school." Gaara didn't blink, keeping level eye contact with his father. From the corner of his eye he saw Temari's and Kankuro's jaws drop. Neither of them could believe what they were hearing.

His father stared right back at him, both father and son refusing to back down. "I don't have a problem with this," although it sounded like he did, "but I have to check with your teacher first before I'll let you go."

"No problem," said Gaara in a tight voice that barley concealed his anger.

"What's this teachers name, I'll call them after I'm done"

"Mr. Hatake, Kakashi Hatake," and with that Gaara got up dumped all his uneaten food in the sink and left the room, trying really hard to not stomp his feet on the way up the stairs and slam his door.

Temari and Kankuro just stood there starring at the door Gaara had disappeared behind. Their father however resumed his eating.

Gaara closed the bedroom door behind him then punched it with all the rage that was emanating from him. He didn't care that he left a dent in hid door. He didn't care that his hand now stung like a bitch, that his knuckles were bleeding or that he might have even broken a few bones.

"Why does he always do this," he practically yelled. At the same time he silently thanked carpenters for the thick, nearly sound proof walls.

He fucking hates my very existence yet he's still determined to control very aspect of my life he thought venomously. He seethed, flexing his bruised hand. "On of these days I'll kill that bastard" he whispered in a demonic voice that was his but still not quiet the same.

"One of these days…

* * *

Gaara's father picked up the phone and dialed the number he had found in the phone book. It rang twice before it was answered by a male voice.

"Kakashi Hatake speaking what did ya want."

"Mr. Hatake I'm the father of one of your students, Gaara. He told me you assigned him to tutor one of his classmates, I just wanted to check if this was true."

"Oh, Gaara. Yeah I assigned him to tutor Rock Lee in Trig. I've had the boy for years but he just can't seem to grasp math. When he suggested a tutor I thought it was a great idea. Hopefully a little one on one time with another student well help. I don't get why you called though, most parents are glad to here their student is smart enough to tutor another student," said Kakashi.

"Well you know teenagers these days. I just wanted to make sure." Gaara's father said in the smooth voice of a politician.

"I understand," said Kakashi laughing a little.

"Well thanks and I hope I didn't call it a bad time," he said as he heard an unusual sound and possibly suggestive sound in the background.

"Actually you did but don't let it bother you."

"Thanks again anyway. Goodbye "

"Yup. Bye." And the line went dead.

Well, well the little prick hadn't been lying after all he thought as he swiveled in his office chair. Getting up he went upstairs to his son's room. He opened the door and Gaara's face so like his own turned to him.

"I talked to your teacher and you can go," he said and closed the door behind him.

As he walked down the hall he contemplated the matter. Gaara may not have lying but he would have to think of something creative to make the child pay for that little bout of defiance.

* * *

Kankuro trudged up the stairs ready to escape into his room. Some days he really wished his family could just be normal. He hated being the middle child at times like this. He somehow always managed to get caught up between everything. He sighed heavily. Suddenly the door to his right flung open and he was snatched by his arm and dragged into his sister's bedroom. Kankuro let out a yelp that was muffled as Temari's hand clamed over his lips.

"Shhhhhh. Shut up Kankuro," whispered Temari in his ear. "I need to talk to you but I don't really want Gaara or Dad, for that matter, to hear."

Kankuro nodded and she let him go. He gasped a little for air when she did. She'd covered his nose as well as his mouth when she had been trying to shut him up.

"Okay what is it," he said rather annoyed.

"It's this whole Gaara becoming a tutor thing. It has me worried."

"Yeah so," Kankuro said trying not to roll his eyes at his sister's well sistering.

"Yeah! Kankuro this is serious. You know what happens when Gaara gets social. He could end up hurt the poor kid or himself. He doesn't exactly react well to getting friendly with people." Temari raved at him.

This time Kankuro did role his eyes. "You know you mother him to much right."

"Of course I mother him. How can I not mother him? We practically raised him."

"That's not what I meant Temari," he cut across her.

She crossed her arms and gave him a disgruntled look.

"What I meant was he's sixteen for god's sake. He's old enough to handle himself. Let him at least try to have some semblance of a normal life. Gaara's a lot better now. He's more stable and has way more control then he used to. All I'm saying is he's got more control and personally I think it'll be good him to have some normal human contact. I think it could help," Kankuro stated matter-o-factly.

"Just because he has more control now doesn't mean he isn't still dangerous," she insisted.

"Temari I think we should just wait and see what happens. If something goes wrong we'll deal. Okay"

"Fine," Temari pouted "but this doesn't mean I'm not going to keep an eye on him or stop worrying."

"Temari I know it's not going to stop you from worrying. You never stop worrying. I swear some days I feel like I can't even take a shit without you hovering over me." And with that he hastily retreated out the door and down the hall to his own room before she had the chance to chuck something at his head.

Once inside his room Kankuro flopped down onto his bed and let out a groan. Yet again the inevitable has happened, he had gotten mixed up in things. It as at times like these he wished he was twenty-one cause he could really use a beer right now.

* * *

Lee took a deep breath experiencing a feeling similar to the one you get before you jump into a pool without knowing how to swim and walked over to where Gaara stood.

"Are you ready," he asked

The red head before him didn't answer just closed his locker and zipped up his backpack.

Lee took that as a yes.

"I don't have a car so we have to walk but don't worry it's not very far," Lee rushed to assure Gaara.

Gaara still didn't say anything. He just looked at Lee waiting.

"Okay. Ahh well fallow me I guess," and he led the way out of the school.

The walk to his house was the quietest he had ever experienced. Even on the days he had walked it alone it had never seemed this quiet. It was almost a relief when he caught sight of his small house near the end of the street. Lee quickened his pace forcing Gaara to speed up as well.

When he reached the simple waist high chain-link fence he pushed it open. Lee turned around and beckoned to the boy behind him.

"Come on. I'll give you the grand tour," he said with a smile.

Gaara was standing a few feet behind him starring ahead at Lee's house his expression unreadable.

"Gaara," Lee called the green-eyed boys name.

Gaara blinked and looked at Lee.

Come on," Lee said again jerking his head in the direction of the house.

Gaara fallowed him thought the gate.

I know it's kinda small…" Lee's voice trailed as opened the front door. "Anyway this is the enclose porch." He opened another door "and this is the living room," he said as they entered the small slightly crapped but cozy living area. "The living room opens up into the dining room and that open up into the kitchen…obviously," he added sheepishly at the end.

Gaara just gave him and expression that he thought might have been a "no shit Sherlock" or just an "I don't really care." He wasn't really sure.

"And though here," he led Gaara to a side door in the dining room. "Is are the bedrooms and the bathroom. The one door on the right is my dad's the middle one is the bathroom and over here on the left," he nudged open the door with his foot and walked inside, "is my room."

Gaara did a kind of slow circle in the middle of the room. Taking it all in Lee assumed.

"Well that's about it. Oh wait. We have a basement but it's not finished and all that's down there is junk and weights."

Gaara was still pretty much examining his room.

"It's small," said Gaara. His voice wasn't critical more like matter-o-fact.

"Yeah I know," said Lee rubbing his hand behind his head. "It's just me and my dad so we can't exactly afford anything fancy."

"It's small compared to mine," Gaara said with almost a hint of irony in his tone.

Lee had no idea what to make of this.

"Well if you want to get started we can work at the table," he said.

Gaara just fallowed him back into the little dinning room dropped his bag into one of the seats and got out today's Trig assignment.

"Okay what don't you understand," said Gaara in complete monotone.

Lee sweat dropped "Uhh …everything."

"Then we start at the beginning."

Gaara had turned to be a pretty good tutor for someone who didn't say much. He outlined everything in really simple straightforward terms that actually made sense to Lee. Heck Lee might even have gone as far to say that Gaara was an even better tutor than Sakura. Once Gaara had explained everything to him he worked on his own homework and helped Lee out whenever he asked. They only had one interruption and that was when Lee's dad came home and Lee had to go through the whole introduction process. A surprisingly pleasant an hour and a half later Gaara, who had gotten done with work 30 minutes ago and was sitting around watching Lee write out problems, spoke up.

"I need to call and get a ride home."

"Oh okay. It is probably time for you to be going isn't it," said Lee as he glanced at the clock. "The phones on the wall in the kitchen."

Gaara got up and moved to leave the room but he paused and almost as an after thought he asked, "Can you finish without me."

Lee blinked. He was not expecting that.

"Sure. I think you explained it well enough I can manage besides I only have two left. If not I can always find you before school starts."

Gaara nodded and left the room.

Lee listened absentmindedly to Gaara's voice drifting from the other room as he talked to someone about picking him up.

Ten or so minutes later there's was a knock on the door and Lee bounded up to open it. On the other side was a girl of about 18 or 19 that he had to assume was Gaars's older sister. She was of average height, curvy but not outrageously so with sandy blond hair and striking no-nonsense blue green eyes. She had the look of a chick that had better things to do when the rest of the girls were off gossiping and she was decked in full on punk armor. Although Lee was easily a head taller than her he had a distinct feeling that this particular girl would have no problem handing him his ass if she really wanted. This was not a woman anyone messed with.

"Hi. I'm Temari," she said with a smile as she offered her hand.

Okay she was a girl you didn't mess with but she was friendly or at least decent.

Lee returned the firm handshake. "I'm Lee," he said with an even bigger smile than Temari's.

"Your lucky I even came to get you," she directed to the shadow hovering a few feet behind Lee. The words were threatening and her tone was light and somewhat playful. More seriously she added, "Why didn't you just tell Kankuro to come get you before you left school."

Gaara came up to stand beside Lee but didn't offer an answer to his sister.

"Well come on then. I'm not gonna wait forever" She turned around and walked out the door with the two boys trailing behind her.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," said Lee "Thanks for coming by the way."

There was a pause before Gaara answered. "Sure"

When they reached the gate Gaara halted. Both Temari and Lee stopped to look back at him.

"Backpack," he said matter-o-factly.

Temari rolled her eyes. "Go get it," she said rather exasperatedly.

As soon as Gaara was near the front door and out of ear shot Temari grabbed Lee and spun him around to face her.

"Lee I know this is going to sound weird but I want you to find yourself another tutor."

Lee looked back at her confused. "Temari, I…"

Temari glanced at the front door behind his shoulder, gnawing at her bottom lip.

Gaara could be back any second.

"Okay look," she said her eyes snapping back to Lee. "Gaara is, ah, complicated." She floundered for a word to describe her way more than, just, complicated brother. "If you can't get someone else just please be careful. Don't do anything to get him mad and give him lots of personal space." The last of her words were rushed as Lee heard the sound of the door slamming.

He watched Temari resume her annoyed expression although it seemed forced.

Lee felt a cold chill settle on his spine and turned to see Gaara walking toward them. His face was expressionless but something in his eyes and demeanor gave Lee the distinct unpleasant feeling that Gaara knew exactly what Temari had been talking to him about.

Lee was so unnerved by this that he almost forgot to wave goodbye. He quickly waved and smiled his eyes connecting with Gaara's for a moment as Temari pulled out into the street and drove away.

* * *

**Author's Note - please review. tell me what you think about the story so far i love feedback it's very helpful. this chapter had some varity in it. i threw in Kankuro and Gaara's dad. i was never actually putting that part about kankuro in there it just kinda came to me but i really liked so it stayed. hopefuly after this things will go a bit faster cause i have a good idea what i'm going to do now. i was stuck for a long time trying to figure out how to force Gaara and Lee to send time together but i managed figure that out in this and the last chapter. well until next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 4 -


End file.
